To Burglar-Proof Your Home Before Leaving on Holiday

Whether you’re leaving home for a few days or a few weeks, read some tips below on how to reduce the risk of burglary by making sure your home has a lived-in look.

First, try not to broadcast the fact that you’ll be away on vacation and that no one will be home. Ask a relative, friend or neighbour to visit your home regularly, and leave them a copy of your itinerary and a telephone number where you can be reached in an emergency. Ask them to pick up the mail, as well as any flyers or newspapers that may collect on your doorstep.

Don’t leave a garage or porch light on all day and all night; that just spotlights the fact that the owner is away. On the other hand, installing lighting with a movement detector system behind the house is a good idea.

Be careful with the message on your answering machine, and don’t mention that you are or will be away on vacation.

Park a car, or have the person who is checking your house park theirs in your driveway from time to time. You could also ask a neighbour to leave one of their trash bags in your driveway for pick-up on garbage day. A lawn chair left alternately opened and closed on a front porch thanks to a co-operative neighbour also reinforces the impression that someone is home.

Arrange to have someone mow the lawn and water the plants. A poorly maintained yard is another indication that the owners are away.

Get some timers for the lights and for electric appliances. If used properly, they give the impression that the house is occupied.

Switch off the electricity to the hot water heater, and turn off the main shut-off valve to the house.

Leave the pool filter on, and keep the water level halfway up the pool skimmer. Turn off the pool heater and the spa motor.

Put bikes and garden tools away and lock the garden shed. Some items, like ladders, and tools such as saws, axes, hammers and electric drills should be stored inside the house so that they cannot be used in an attempt to break into your home.

If you have a residential alarm system, notify the monitoring company that you will be away.

Before you leave, walk through the house to make sure everything is in order and that all doors and windows have been locked.

This post was found on FSBO.FizBer.com
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